| Bert Edwards | |
| Nationality: | British (English) |
| Birth Place: | Liverpool, England |
| Career1: | Walthamstow Wolves |
| Years1: | 1950–1951 |
| Career2: | Aldershot Shots |
| Years2: | 1951–1952 |
| Career3: | Cardiff Dragons |
| Years3: | 1952–1953 |
| Career4: | Ipswich Witches |
| Years4: | 1953–1958 |
Richard Herbert Edwards (8 February 1917 – 13 June 2008) was an international motorcycle speedway rider from England. He earned seven international caps for the England national speedway team.[1] [2]
Edwards was born in Liverpool but attended Hyde School in Hendon and later Goldbeaters Modern School in Burnt Oak. He was a member of the Northern Cycling Club[3] before he and his younger brother Harry Edwards joined the Kenton and Kingsbury Motor Cycle Club. The pair gained recognition as grass track riders before moving into conventional speedway.[4] He began his British leagues career riding for Walthamstow Wolves during the 1950 Speedway National League Division Two, where he joined his brother who was already a Walthamstow rider.[5]
In 1951, after starting the season with Walthamstow he was loaned out to Aldershot Shots[6] and remained at the club for the first half of the 1952[7] before transferring from parent club Walthamstow to Cardiff Dragons for £400.[8]
His riding average was solid but not particularly special and it was not until he joined Ipswich Witches that his career took off.[9] He left Cardiff following their withdrawal from the league in 1953 and although he only rode 8 matches for Ipswich during the remainder of the season, he averaged 9.12.[10]
He became very popular at Ipswich where attendances consistently approached 20,000 and was described as an idol by the press.[3] In 1955, he averaged 9.45 and was club captain. In 1956, he was called up by England for test matches that included fixtures against Sweden and Australia.[11] His final two seasons were with Ipswich in the highest division of British speedway in the National League.
His father was Richard Edwards was a councillor in Harrow and his uncle was Bob Edwards, a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1955 to 1987.[3]